The Notebook
by Reykja
Summary: Something is troubling Hinata, and it's affecting her relationship with Naruto. You'll just have to read to find out what.


_This was a super insane challenge given to me by Victoria Levi_

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_The challenge was:_

_*To create a story with a Tobi X Hinata pairing_

_*With a 1 hour time limit_

_*Using the song 'Back for my Life' by Master Plan_

_*The story must include the following items:_

_-a cat_

_-a notebook_

_-a sock_

_*And the major challenge - No Dialogue._

_My first thought was 'Who's Tobi???', so I had to do a little bit of research...and what I found was definitely interesting! Following the anime and not keeping up with the manga does have serious disadvantages at times. However, I did kind of manage to turn my lack of knowledge into an advantage thanks to the no dialogue requirement... Enjoy!_

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Hinata sat staring up at the leaves in the branches above her. The sunlight sparkled as the tree swayed, the leaves rustling in the wind. She shook herself free from her thoughts and returned to her diary. Well, it was a notebook really. Sighing, she began to write.

Several hours passed before she looked up from her work, and it had already gotten dark. She stretched her stiff back, rubbing her neck as she yawned and finally unsteadily stood up on her aching legs. She glanced over the pages she had written. The whole notebook, save the two last pages, were covered with her illegible scrawl. The final two pages she would save for later. She didn't have the strength to write them now. Nimbly, she hopped down from the tree into the dimly lit street. Ichiraku ramen shop was already closed, so it must be past ten, she realised. Good. That would make returning home much easier. She didn't want to talk tonight. Or tomorrow. Or ever, for that matter. There weren't enough words to express how she felt.

She silently crept into the bedroom in the darkness. Her foot nudged an old sock lying on the floor; she would have to spend the day cleaning tomorrow. She was grateful the darkness spared her eyes from the rest of the disaster area that was supposed to be their bedroom. Shivering more from nervousness than cold she carefully slipped in between the sheets next to the blond ninja in the bed. He stirred, mumbling softly in his sleep, before rolling over to face the other side of the bed. Hinata held her breath as she stiffly lay there next to him, not daring to move a muscle in case she woke him. Another night of flashback memories of her unforgivable mistake awaited her.

The next morning when she awoke, she found herself alone in bed save for the black cat that had wandered in and made itself a part of their home a few months prior. She stroked it absentmindedly and looked over to his side of the bed. Her eyes rested on a small piece of paper she knew would be lying there. Sighing, she picked it up and read:

"Hey sweetheart,

I knew it was your first day off so I didn't have the heart to wake you. Did you have a good time with the girls last night? I bet you gals get even crazier than Kiba and I when we've had a few!

I'll see you tonight, ok?

Love ya,

Naruto."

Hinata crumpled the paper in her fist, holding her hand to her chest as the tears began to fall.

What had happened was unexplainable, even to her. A chance meeting with an unlikely person had led to unexpected admiration and finally to an unforgivable romance. The older Uchiha clansman that few knew was still alive.

She wiped her eyes and picked up the softly purring cat. There was no time for this. She had to return to being the perfect wife as if nothing had happened. As if her heart had never been broken. As if she had never betrayed the man she had loved for so long.

The day went by slowly as she cleaned their shared apartment, did the laundry, met Sakura-san for tea and dango, did some light training with her cousin and did all the other daily chores her life had become. She did all those things, but her mind was elsewhere. Tonight she would have to finish those last two pages.

That evening was incredibly difficult for her. Naruto was being his usual upbeat self, teasing her and sharing the jokes he'd heard that day. His enthusiasm was so hard to resist and usually more infectious. She tried to play along as well as she could, all the while worrying if he could sense something was wrong or different about her. She silently prayed he wouldn't, not until she was ready. He went to bed early, tired from his mission that day. She sat at the kitchen table, writing those last two pages she had been dreading since her decision to tell him. There were no words to make what she had done better. There were no words to protect him from the pain of knowing everything. There were no words to forgive her. Drying her eyes with her sleeves, she put the diary into a paper bag and hid it behind some old textbooks on the bookshelf. Tense and with an aching heart, she crept into bed, ready for another restless night of vivid dreams of Him.

The following morning, as usual, Naruto was gone before she awoke. Another note lay by her side. She bit her lip, realising this may be the last time she ever received one like it.

"Hey cutie,

I hope you're enjoying your maternity leave! It must be so nice having all those days off while it's Spring, eh? Enjoy the sunshine, I'll be home early tonight.

Love ya,

Naruto

PS Thought of a name suitable for a Hokage-to-be's son yet?"

Hinata rested a hand on her swelling stomach and broke into tears.

The day passed by like a distant dream, too far away to see clearly. She moved in a fog, dreading his return home. Waiting, and wishing she could run away from all this.

As he walked into the apartment that night full of kisses and hugs and his usual excitement, Hinata was silent. She put a finger over his lips, her eyes begging for silence. She led him to the kitchen table and sat him down in his usual chair. He looked confused, but curious and obeyed her wishes as he waited to find out what was going on. She bit her lip until it bled trying to stop herself from crying. She had to hold on, just a little bit longer. Hinata came back to the table with the paper bag she had hidden the night before, and handed it to her husband. He looked puzzled, but opened it and took out a small, worn notebook. Her hands over his, she indicated he should read it.

He opened the book to the first page. She stared at him as she saw his face change, reading those first words. This was her punishment. To watch his love for her turn into disgust and hate. His eyes lifted from the book, hurt and searching hers for confirmation that those words were a lie, a joke. All he found was assurance they were true. The two lovers watched each other from across the table, both in tears, both close to emotional collapse.

He sat back, dazed, his eyes painted with so many questions, so much pain. So much love. His eyes moved back down to the notebook, flipping through the pages, skimming the words but not being able to understand. Page after page, no words would sink in. The words that mattered were on that very first page; the rest of the story was irrelevant.

The child she was carrying wasn't his.

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End file.
